A Side Track Of Most Epic Proportions
by TheAttentionJustEncouragesHer
Summary: She was trying to go to Konoha and become a Good, Honest shinobi, She Swears! she just got a little... Side tracked, is all. But surely she'll get there eventually, Right? Very Much AU.
1. Chapter 1

_OK, so this is just the prologue for Smile like you mean it ( AKA Irreversible, the masks are off) Version 2. I just wanted to see how people reacted too a few of the changes i made._

**I don't own Naruto, though i would like to think i own the Tenshi clan, Tamagakure( well, my version.. i think Ive seen the name around somewhere before) , Riia and the plot, but as I've never seen every piece of media ever, i wouldn't know.**

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"The Tenshi family, the most powerful and prestigious clan to grace the illusive Tamagakure. Know one knows if this mysterious family or even the village they are said to hail from has ever existed, but the legend that surrounds them both continues to be passed down through the ancient families, and so on until it reaches us today."

Iruka lectured, his voice taking on an air of ancient wisdom and underlying power.

"Can anyone tell me the legend of the Tenshi clan?" he enquired.

Sasuke Uchiha stood calmly, and began to speak, earning rapt attention.

"The Tenshi clan are said to be the childe of Kami, gifted with his eternal-"But he was cut off when a kunai flew threw the air, landing an inch from his cheek. He turned around angrily; glaring in the direction the projectile had come from, only to meet a pair of electric acid green eyes from inside the dark corner.

"Erm… Riia-sensei?" A hesitant Yamanaka Ino questioned.

"Do not talk of things you do not know, boy." Came the strong voice, as an Amazonian looking woman slunk out of the shadows, with feline grace. She was most likely in her mid teens, with peach coloured skin, cropped brownish red hair that spiked up in the ends, and she was about 5'7, with a voluptuous figure and a strong willed yet dark, dangerous aura about her.

"Perhaps…" she mused "I should tell you the real story of the Tenshi clan."

The girl was a visiting dignitary, thought from which hidden village Iruka was not informed of, and she had decided to look in on Konoha's schooling system.

"The Tenshi clan are not the children of Kami, nor are they its messengers. They cannot be counted on to stay pure and good, simply because of the family they were born into, but the legends of their power are very, very real." She paused for breath.

"The Tenshi clan gain their abilities through blood, but there is a certain stipulation for the access to such power. The Tenshi clan are always born pure, or, shall I say, anyone born into the Tenshi clan is always cycling through their first life. They are new souls, so they have done no evil and are in effect, pure. This is what allows them to access such power." Here, she smirked.

"Any acts the commit after birth have no effect on the power, once they gain it, they keep it until they either die, or the clan head removes it from them for some injustice, as only the true clan head is said to be able to do. Should they wish to turn evil, they could do so as successfully as any other human being. The Kami controls them as much as they control you or I."

Sasuke sat down, looking quite put out, while the rest of the class held the awed silence. Iruka, however, was not done questioning. "How do you know so much, assuming what you just told us was correct?"

Riia Smirked. "Oh, did I forget to introduce myself? Hello Konoha, my name is Tenshi, Riia." She bowed mockingly, before ripping a small green gem off a chain from her neck, and squeezed it till it glowed the same colour as her eerie eyes.

She gave a mocking wave, and was gone in a flash of green light, all in the span of a second. The hokage, as well as the elite ANBU squads were called in to observe the scene. Saturobi bent down to pick up a gleaming silver Kunai, and twisted it over in his hands, studying it.

Carved into the handle of the wicked projectile was a symbol only a limited few people had ever even herd about, let alone seen. Saturobi Asuma happened to be one of those limited few. It was the Tenshi clan symbol, and they had had A member in their midst.

* * *

_So, how did you like the new opening? Riia's part will become apparent sometime later, but i doubt she will really have much more then a few passing cameo's, because, as much as i like the character I've got written up, No body really enjoys OC's coming and stealing the spotlight ( or, should i say Plotlight? bad joke, i know.) _

_And yea, I'm Australian, so nobody pick on my spelling of "colour". Its the right spelling here, i tell ya! but feel free to pull me up on anything else wrong.  
_

_thanks for reading, and i would really like to know how this is comparing to the original so far( in terms of writing and interest, there's not much plot yet) from those who red the first version ( which i admit, was terrible) , and just how it was, from those who haven't.  
_

_Kyaa!_

_TheAttentionJustEncouragesHer  
_


	2. Chapter 2

_OK. so, this is still pretty much the prologue. Riia isn't a main character, but its best to follow her for now as shes where the actions at. yep, and that's about it. _

_i Don't own naruto._

_**WARNINGS:** um... swearing. I.e bitch and bullshit. ( Riia's a dirty mouthed girl, tut tut, lol)  
_

* * *

_Carved into the handle of the wicked projectile was a symbol only a limited few people had ever even herd about, let alone seen. Saturobi Asuma happened to be one of those limited few. It was the Tenshi clan symbol, and they had had A member in their midst.

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_

_

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_

"Riia-nee San!" A flute like voice sung, lilting in pitch. A small pink and black blur flung into the arms of the mischievous teen as she materialized in the large red wooded Pagoda, lavishly decorated with many precious stones and jewels. The walls of the pagoda had a large wrap around sun seat covered in cushions with a rainbow colour, from left to right. Red gauzy curtains hung on the minute Pagoda walls, so the open spots in the wall could be covered.

"Hey Imouto" Riia smirked, catching the blur, which turned out to be a small girl, and swinging her around. "Did'ya miss me?" she asked flippantly.

The girl nodded, and whispered "No one comes to visit me if you're gone."

Riia stared into the teary eyes of her cousin, eyes that, even though she could change the colour to that of the main houses, she still chose to keep them the rare green of Riia's own. And she grew angry.

What had this girl done to deserve such isolation? Sure, maybe when she's around, sometimes stuff catches on fire. So get water. And so what if sometimes when she's around animals start inexplicably talking? So what if, when she was born, she created her own island and lake, the same one she was now practically imprisoned on? The village looked better with them anyways!

Riia was part of the branch house, but she was powerful and usually worked as a foreign affairs scout, and messing with the uppity ninja's while she was there. She was probably the least related to the heiress of the clan ( being that Riia herself was born of a Tenshi mother and a Clanless father) and yet here she was, the only one in the whole town who even bothered to check if the girl was still alive! She knew that Sakura rarely had any visitors, that's why she always made her clan key Tama to deliver her onto the girls little island, where she usually spent most of her time in Tama anyways; But this was ridiculous!

"Hey Koneko, why don't you wait here for a while. I've gotta go see a pig about a man, ok?" she said in a deceptively sweet voice. The girl nodded and, once her feet touched the ground once again, she skipped off, calling over her shoulder something about playing with the monkeys.

Riia rang, pumping chakra into her legs so she flew over the land, and them the lake surrounding it, knowing that any teleportation tama or Jutsu were useless on the little island, finally slowing down to a brisk walk when she came across the extravagant compound house resembling a fairytale castle rather then the traditional Japanese estate, never fully stopping, even as she barged through the large double oak doors intricately decorated with winding golden patterns.

"Kaede-Sama!" she bellowed from the foyer of the house, aiming her voice up the winding marble double stairway, where she expected her target to be.

"Riia-Chan, is that you? Come meet me up in my room, I'm busy!" the annoying voice called back. Riia rolled her eyes at the woman's imagined friendship between them and quickly ascended the staircase.

When she entered the room, the self centered woman smiled like a candy coated razor blade through the mirror as she brushed her sandy copper hair.

"Kaede-Sama?" Riia spat the suffix waspishly.

"why is it that your daughter, the heiress to this clan, a four year old child no less, why is it that this person has had no human contact or even verification that she was still even alive, in months?"

The woman placed her hairbrush down on the vanity and turned to fully face Riia, face still the perfect picture of hospitality, but her brown eyes hard.

"Riia-Chan, dear, you know Sakura will be fine on her own, she likes the solitude, and her powers are still not under control, she would be a danger to both herself and the community. Besides, I personally deliver meals to her; three times a day and sometimes even eat with her." She smiled that razorblade smile once more.

Riia's calm demeanor shattered.

" Now you listen here Kaede. Neither you nor your husband are the true clan heads, you are only holding that title because you were the two lucky enough to adopt sakura when her parents died, so I fear no repercussions in saying this. I happen to know for a fact that that is complete and utter Bullshit. I placed Chakra lines around that entire island before I left. I would have known if someone set even a pinkie toe on that island other then me or Saku. Second of all, Sakura really dislikes being alone, she's afraid of it. And, so what if her abilities mess up a little? We have the means to stop it if they get out of hand and her control is much better. Both you and your husband are conniving, lying little miscreants, and you're a stupid bitch, Kaede. I loath people like you."

There was a certain power about a Tenshi's words, you must understand. The more powerful the clan member, the more effect their words have, and so, for someone like Riia to use a word like loath, she had to be mighty serious. Words with that kind of emotional strength cursed like no other.

Kaede dropped all illusion of congeniality.

"Now you listen to me. I'm the lady of this clan, and I'm your superior, you have no right to do-"she was cut off by a horrendous screech, followed closely by the scent of burning flesh.

Riia ran to the window, just as Kaede screamed out "The people are burning!"

* * *

_just to clear a few things up, Riia's sakura's cousin, they just call each other sister. _and yea, _like i said, this is basically still the prologue, so the chapter will be short till that ends, which is probably one more chapter to go. Oh, and just to make it clear, Sakura was emotionally neglected, not physically abused.  
_

_please leave a review. Much obliged. _


	3. Chapter 3

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OK. well, yea. I don't own Naruto, Or the song ( which is Over my head ( cable car) by the Frey. )

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_**Let's rearrange  
I wish you were a stranger I could disengage  
Just say that we agree and then never change  
Soften a bit until we all just get along**_

Sakura was playing with Chibi, the smallest monkey on **Hogosha **Island, when she felt a bump in the islands outer barrier, the one that connects to the main landmass of Tamagakure. She easily dismissed it, until several other, similar bumps followed. She ran the short distance to the islands beach, and, without thinking kept going, gliding over the lakes smooth surface, not even comprehending the broken laws of physics until she had already reached the mainland. What she saw would horrify even the most battle hardened of blood fiends.

Bodies, Human and otherwise littered the grounds, tree's and buildings as far at the eye could see. Young, Old. Merchants, clan heads, shinobi, civilian, all horribly charred, some still burning. Plumes of smoke rapidly enveloped them all, till they were nothing more then dark shadows against the inky clouds.

_Dead…all of them… dead. _

She pushed through the smoke, oddly enough never coming into contact with the substance, and she realized…

_The fire… it's only attracted to living things, people and animals… the buildings are unharmed. Spirit fire. _

She wandered, dazed and not really comprehending all the loss she was observing in an almost heartlessly detached way, until she came across an extravagantly large clan house.

_Her clan house._

She knew not how she knew this, but, to the traumatized four year olds mind, none of that mattered and she began to climb the marble stairway, drawn to the echoing screams originating from the first room above her. One the floor, screaming as she writhed in visible agony, was a sandy copper haired woman, clutching an ivory hairbrush stubbornly in her right hand.

Sakura stood, looming over the woman and watching as she continued to squirm. She finally caught the woman's attention when she rasped out "S-sakura?"

Sakura tilted her head to the side, and asked "Are you my Mommy?"

The woman nodded, but was startled when the four year old turned and walked back towards the door, stopping in the door frame and half turning to face her once again.

"Burn, Kaede-sama. Burn."

As she watched the back of the little pink haired girl as it walked out the door, Kaede realized the darkness she herself had imbued into the little childe, and in her last moments, she repented.

"I'm Sorry."

And with her failure, both to Her little niece that she never truly called a daughter, and to her brother, for not protecting his little princess from the darkness of the world, instead creating it in the girls own conscious, Kaede Tenshi died.

_**Never thought that you wanted to bring it down  
I won't let it go down till we torch it ourselves**_

" Riia-Nee-Chan…" she whispered, standing on top of the Tamakage Tower.

" _Koneko…"_ the voice seemed to dance around Sakura's head, a cherished memory.

"_You're gonna be a great person some day, Imouto. You'll grow up and do great things. I just know it. You'll save people" Riia ruffled a three year old Sakura's hair._

"_Like the shinobi in your stories?" Sakura asked, excited. _

"_Yup! You'll defeat the bad guy, save the day and become the best shinobi ever!"_

_Sakura giggled "And get the girl, right?" Riia started. "What?" _

"_Well… in the stories, the hero always gets the girl after he saves the day!" Sakura explained. _

"_Erm… Imouto, what exactly do you expect to do when you get this girl, anyway?" Riia asked, wondering if she had severely messed up her sister psyche somewhere along the line. Was it normal for three year olds to know their sexual orientation so early?_

_Sakura looked at her like she was some kind of buffoon.  
_

"_I'll do what they all do, silly Riia-Nee-Chan. We'll eat Ice-cream!" _

_Riia sighed. "Well, you do that Imouto. But say… did I ever tell you the story of my personal Hero, Tsunade-Hime?"_

Sakura pulled herself from the comforting memory.

"I'll make you proud, Nee-Chan. I'll do all the stuff you wanted me to do, well 'cept for the ice cream. Gelato's way better." She promised the wind.

"And I'm gonna start it where all your stories do. I'll go to Konoha."

_**But that's how it's got to be  
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy  
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see  
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears**_

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Yes, i know its short. And jt to make it clear, i have nothing against girls who like girls. Or ice cream. Or people Named Kaede.

ok then, bye bye now!

Read and review, please.


	4. Chapter 4

Unless you can predict the future, the chances of what you see here being mine are slim to none. Well, except the plot... i think.

* * *

Sakura, in all her clan heiress Finery dress code (because like it or not, it was a tradition that the clan council was to stubborn to change, even if she destroyed the outfits on a regular basis climbing waterfalls and chasing monkeys) Stood out most audaciously, and sooner or later, she was bound to be set upon. In fact, it was a miracle that she hadn't before in her two years of traveling without direction. Though she had learnt much about the world and about herself and her skills, she was still no closer to finding Konoha. Hey, it was called a 'Hidden' village for a reason!

"Well looky what we got here, boys" A voice called, stopping Sakura in her tracks. She looked around the forest clearing (exactly where she was, she did not know, she had been traveling west), and did not need to search long. Directly ahead she saw a group of three burly men, looking dirty and unpleasant and rather uneducated, if she were to pass judgment.

"Now listen little girl, we'll make this nice and simple. Hand over everything you've got, or we'll take you as payment for our troubles." The man to the right leered.

"Hand over everything I've got you say? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but all I have are these." She pulled three red jewels of a silver bracelet and threw each of them at the men in quick succession.

"Well, that's not quite true. I also have the activation code." She conceded, as the Tama's exploded, incinerating the men and leaving behind only smoldering worldly remains.

Thoroughly unaffected, she just kept walking. After all, that was a shinobi's job, Kill the bad guys, finish the mission objective, and she was going to be the best shinobi of all time. Besides, those guys reeked of inept foul deeds.

* * *

"What was that, Un?" Deidara asked himself, referring to the small explosion about ten minutes east of his location.

"Eh. I got time, Un." And he began to run.

He came across a small clearing, the undoubtedly human remains still smoldering.

"Rather you then me, Un." He said to the piles as she ran past them. The perpetrator couldn't be far, right?"

* * *

"Who- pant- The HELL- Pant – Can run- Pant – This freaking fast?" He gasped, too tired for even his signature suffix.

Once he came to his senses and felt for an energy signal, it was easy to feel the only other living human in the area. Catching them was another thing entirely. So when he finally cause up to the black and pink blur, he tackled it to the ground, leaving him in his present position.

" A Kid? A freaking kid Out ran me?" he yelled, once he finally got his breath back and stood up. "This terrorist- for hire thing must be giving me a false sense of security. I need to train more." He muttered to himself.

"So tell me, kid. How'd ya do that back there, un?" The little girl, who so far had, after being let up, just stood there, staring at him, shrugged her shoulders.

"It's my gift. Everyone in my Clan could do something like it; I can just do a bit more."

He smiled, so she was a kindred spirit, huh?

"Join the club kid. At least yours doesn't openly proclaim you as a freak. Pity the more pity-worthy." He showed her the mouths in the palms of his hands.

"Don't count your cards till there in your hand, girly-man." And older, more mature voice came from the little girls' mouth, as her hair turned red and her entire eyeball turned black.

"Eh?" he questioned, puzzled by the strange change.

The woman-in-the-girls-body shrugged. "Let's call it extreme multiple Personality Disorder or a cosmic screw up."

"Extreme?"

She tapped her chest. "Millions of souls in here equate to"- she tapped her temple- "Millions of voices in here. Sometimes one of us breaks through and takes over for a little while."

"Oh." Eh, he'd seen worse. At least she didn't have a snake tongue like that guy who'd surveyed his Chunin exams that time in Konoha.

He started walking west, but turned back. "You know, you really shouldn't talk to strangers. It could get you burnt at the stake. I Guess its something I'll have to teach you if your gonna become my apprentice, Un." He smiled. She trotted up to stand next to him, and he realized he'd forgotten something.

"BY the way, the names Deidara." She smiled.

" Sakura."

And they started walking.

* * *

"You know" she said, conversationally "You remind me of my cousin, Riia."

"Really now, Un?" he was sort of flattered.

"Yup. She was my Hero."

" I DO NOT LOOK LIKE A GIRL!!"

Birds fled the tree tops at the outburst.

"Hey, Deidara-Nee-san? You could have just given away our location to more bandits."

He sighed. Clearly, he was not going to get anywhere on the issue today.

* * *

"Dei-Nee-Sempai? There are two rapidly approaching energies coming from the south. Arrival time 0.3 minutes." Sakura Said, bouncing into their comfortable hideou-er, base of operations.

Deidara, who, after two years, had given up trying to dissuade his small ward from titling him with gender-confused suffixes, looked up from his work bench and smiled. "Well, I guess we should go meet our newest art then, un?"

He stood and held out his hand, which she took and then walked outside and into the clearing next to the entrance of their home, waiting.

Sakura stood, partially hidden behind her Nee-sempais' legs. Deidara knew she could take care of herself, but that doesn't mean he had to stop taking precautions, right?

Bursting into the clearing with the dramatic entrance only a shinobi running at high speeds can manage, the Duo got a good look at the trespassers.

A Tall man, with a slashed Mist headband and a large sword strapped to his back stood in front, followed closely by a small boy who, with his slightly feminine features and shoulder length hair, could almost be mistaken for a girl. Deidara could only tell the difference through comparison to the small girl standing behind him.

Sakura watched the man wearily, taking specific notice of the slash in his headband. She had once asked why Her Nee-sempai had a slash through the metal of his own headband, but he had only said that should she ever come across another with a slashed headband, to mark them well for they surely merited watching and should not be trusted easily. Though, sakura reasoned, if her Nee-Sempai had one, surely others with the same couldn't be bad?

Zabuza Took in the two people he had come across. One was a teenage boy, maybe a few years older then Haku, and the other was a small girl, with ostentatious pink hair. _Pink._ These civilians sure were stupid to live all alone out here in the forest. None of their precious villagers would notice if they disappeared. It was then he noticed the slashed forehead protector hidden under the boys' blonde hair. He Felt for the boys Chaka, and found it bordering on Massive. _Interesting. _Maybe this was worth a discussion? Who knows maybe he would get two more weapons to add to his collection. Though, on second thought, the pink hair was just too…. Innocent. The girl would have to go; surely she was useless in any case. Now, how to go about this…

Haku knew he really shouldn't, but he had a large weakness for all things cute. And that little girl was certainly cute. Maybe Zabuza would make friends with the blonde shinobi? Or, if the shinobi had to have an _accident_, perhaps he could convince His master to allow him to keep the cute little girl as a pet. Oh, the Shinobi was speaking.

"_Momochi Zabuza_, The Demon of the hidden Mist. Now, what would bring you to this part of the woods, I wonder, Un?" Deidara questioned, with an air of one who was not talking to one of the most highly sought after Nuke-nins in the last decade.

"You know of me? I'm flattered, really. This is Haku." He motioned to the boy. "And who might you be?"

"Someone who would rather be with my art right now, Un." He answered flatly. Sakura Poked His leg, just behind the knee cap. Deidara was ruing the day she learnt where he was ticklish.

" Deidara." He ground out. Sakura frowned. Really, she was just trying to help. Her Nee-sempai is never going to make friends if he always gets into fights with everyone he meets.

Mentally, Zabuza acknowledged that maybe the girl did have her uses after all.

" Well, Haku and I were scouting out possible places for a base of operations, but seeing as this place is already taken, we shall find somewhere else, unless… how would you like to join me and become my subordinate?" He proposed. "The girl can come too, as long as she says out of the way." He offered, in his opinion, generously.

"Like Hell old man! I could probably beat you, hands down anyways, Un!" And so the two began to battle, with Sakura and Haku watching from the sidelines. Sakura, because she knew Deidara Fought with everyone he'd ever met excluding her, And Haku because If he really needed him, Zabuza would call. That and the fact His master had been complaining about the lack of decent opponents to challenge him of late.

As the hours melded together, the two quickly became bored and started looking for other ways to entertain themselves, quickly falling into conversation that neither had had with anyone other then their older companions for quite some time.

"I'm Sakura." She chirped. "Haku" He replied, his mellow voice smooth.

"So, are you a shinobi, then?"

"Uh Huh. Zabuza-Dono trained me personally."

"Cool! Dei-Nee-Sempai is teaching me some things, but it's kinda of hard cause he doesn't know about my clan or anything. I mostly teach myself with stuffs I took from the library back home last time we went back."

Now Haku was interested. "Really? Does your family have a kekkei genkai?"

Sakura looked conflicted for a second, before answering.

" Well, Deidara-Nee-sempai told me not to go around telling random peoples, but since He and Zabuza-san are having so much fun, I think we'll be spending some more time together, so I don't see why not. It's really complicated, but mostly we could control Tama. But somehow the bloodline messed up and instead of only being able to make one kind of tama, like most of our family, I can make all sorts. Like, My Nee-san Riia was really good at Illusion Emeralds. She could do all the basic ones, like transportation Tamas and stuff, but Emeralds were her specialty."

Haku Smiled. "That sounds most interesting. My kekkei genkai lies in Wind and Water Manipulation, specifically leading into Ice Attacks and such."

"You mean like this?" Sakura asked, and in her hand was a perfect, Ice Bird, modeled after One of Deidaras' many clay creations.

Haku looked from the bird, back to the girl, then back to the bird, and once more back to the girl.

"Unlike the rest of my family, I could manipulation More then just Tama."

There was something about the way she said it that made it clear to Haku she had suffered for her differences, much like he had.

* * *

It was twenty Six hours (And four meals of Berries and energy bars for the children left behind; theywere only things in the hideouts' nearly empty pantry since it was closing in on shopping day) Later when both Missing Nin stumbled back into the clearing, looking much worse for wear. Zabuza Tripped on a root and, due to the added weight of his massive sword, fell.

He did not get up.

Deidara smirked triumphantly and hobbled into the base. In the doorway, he turned back towards Haku who was gaping at his Master.

'Well, don't just stand there; bring my new partner in, Un."

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

_Here 'tis._

_I Don't own it. We all know that. Oh, yea, and theres some swearing._

* * *

Zabuza awoke, every single nerve ending alight with pain, but as a shinobi, he skillfully pushed it to the back of his awareness and sat up. He surveyed his surroundings disbelievingly.

He was in a bedroom. A very pink bedroom.

He shook his head at the décor of the room and limped out the door. Moving slowly through the modest hallways, he passed several doors labeled with strange titles such as _"Caution! Exploding statues!"_ and "**The-Thing-That-Must-never-Be-talked-about. EVER"** as well as "In-Case-Of-Barney-taking-over-the-world, push the big red button." Before he finally came to the end of the hallway, where it opened out into a Kitchen-slash-Living room-slash-Dining room Open area. Zabuza smirked as he observed the scene he had walked in on.

His apprentice was squashed into a high chair, while the pink haired menace stood on what appeared to be a breakfast bar, playing with Hakus' long chocolate hair. The blonde who'd thrashed him with Explosives earlier stood not far away, an exasperated look on his face, his long hair covered in braids and flowers. Alternate to what he would have expected from His most sharpened tool, Haku actually looked like he was enjoying himself.

"You know, you're lucky you've got short hair, or else you'd be next." The blonde was suddenly next to him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Zabuza sighed, and then the blonde smirked.

"But it's ok. Its time for the nail polish next, and I'm sure sakura won't leave you out. And then the make up comes after that, but you'll be on your own for that one, I'm allergic." He coughed, evidently trying to cover his laugh.

It was at this point Zabuza decided the kid could be much more evil then anyone, even a demon like him, could ever hope for. It was everything he could ever hope for in a partner.

* * *

Life with Zabuza in the mix was a lot less sheltered for Sakura compared to life in the island or even her time wandering, and it was infinitely less sheltered then when she was only with Deidara, Who kept her at the base when he Went out to "create more art" about once a month, still embroiled in his terrorist-for hire trade.

The training became more vicious and she actually got to meet people… and then kill them. While Zabuza still trained Haku, and Deidara still trained Sakura once a month they'd switch over, and spend a month learning from the other Nuke-Nin.

Haku, while he didn't particularly enjoy the fire that came with Deidaras' typical explosions, found that an Ice bomb could be a valuable projectile attack, and was usually unexpected.

Sakura decided that Zabuza's sword wasn't pretty enough, and soon sought to remedy this problem. Also, she Found Zabuza's sword made a good impromptu kitchen knife after Deidara used the last one during Target practice.

Zabuza won't let sakura near his Sword again. Ever.

Deidara was glad that, even though Sakura was thoroughly disillusioned about the world and its faults, she still didn't understand the looks those boys were giving her.

* * *

"No. not a pretty little jewel. You need to shape it. In something OTHER then a ball!"

Zabuza was attempting to teach Sakura Kenjutsu, but it was rather hard when Haku and Deidara had gone on a mission (taking the sword of Haku's that sakura usually used to practice with) and after the "incident" Zabuza wouldn't let sakura within a meter of his sword. So here they were, trying to create one.

"You can create tama, can't you? That all were trying to do here! Just in a different shape!' He growled, frustrated.

"I know that! But there's a difference between KNOWING and DOING!"

Sakura was so mad, she just wanted to lash out at the infuriating man, she yelled, and kicked and screamed, and once, she flung her hand out, and from it was a glowing, golden whip.

"Well, that looks fancy and all, but you still didn't do it right." Zabuza was nonplussed.

* * *

Deidara.

He could sense the man, huge waves of chakra trailed after him. It would not be long until he was upon them, and he didn't know if his techniques would be sufficient to best their pursuer. Here, his memory becomes only the quick flashes that battles often yield. He remembered fighting the blue man, and then the red eyed man came along, and after that, nothing.

None of what he could remember could explain to him why he was currently in this large, dark room, decidedly not dead.

_Deidara of Iwa, Terrorist for Hire, you have made quite the reputation for yourself. _

A disembodied voice echoed around the room.

_Ruthless, creative, powerful, if a little bit flamboyant, you are truly a credit to the Shinobi Race. Because of your Aptitude at your chosen profession, you will join the criminal Organisation known as the Akatsuki._

Damn. Now there was a group he'd herd of.

"Um, yea, sorry, But I think I'm going to have to decline, see, I don't get along well with people, and, eh… I really don't like meeting new people. Regardless of the fact I might kill them afterwards, so, thanks for the offer, and its good to know someone still appreciates my skill, but if you could just point me in the direction of the exit, that'd be great."

_T__his was not an offer, it was a demand. _

" What? Who the hell do you think you are?"

_Leader._

"Yea? Well, leader of the poncy-coat-brigade or not, I said Hells no, So let me outa here!"

_Perhaps, Kisame or Itachi would be more successful __in convincing you to accept your fate…_

"Call in any one of your little Man servants, its still not gonna change my answer."

There was no reply.

* * *

" Oi? Shemale! Wake up!" He was prodded awake roughly by the cold steel end of a sword. Well shit.

"What the hell do you want sharkbait?" He was not a morning person.

"Listen here Jailbait, Your gonna join us here, and your gonna enjoy it, all right?" Sharky snapped, prodding him again.

"Like Hell I want to join your little "Gay pride" parade fish fingers, and watch where you're poking that thing, some of us are still anatomically correct over here, unlike you and Mr barbie doll next to you."

"Who the fuck is you calling gay Blondie?" Fishfood must have completely missed the second insult, but Barbie doll sure didn't, if the blood coming from his clenched fist was anything to go by.

"Oh, so I'm the ONLY one who thinks it's suss, a bunch of grown men tagging along in pairs, wearing matching crappy cloaks? I wonder how much you all do together…"

Fish fingers had thrown down his sword now, looking ready to rip him apart with his bare hands…

"Kisame." Oh look! Barbie doll comes with a speech function!

"It would be wise, Deidara-san, for you to simply accept this organisation and your role within it. Otherwise… certain events would have to be set into place that would not have pleasant outcomes for those involved."

Deidara smirked. They had nothing on him.

" Oh yea? And who would that be?"

"Reports state a young boy having been seen in your company a number of times, along with an older man who Kisame names as Momochi Zabuza. One must wonder when they take all this into account, if your Bravado questioning our sexuality was not simply a cover for your own Homosexuality."

Honestly? Deidara wouldn't be too hung up if either Haku or Zabuza were to have one of these "Mysterious" accidents. Theirs was a partnership of convenience. That and the fact that Sakura really Liked Haku. He was pointedly ignoring the jab at his sexual preferences.

"There are also several, though unconfirmed reports of a small girl in both yours and the other two mentioned parties presences. All reports pin all three of you as acting, and I quote "Unreasonably Over protective and possessive" over the small child. Now, suppose we were to go and find this small girl, who is, on all accounts "Delightfully charming" and, say, bring her back to the base, perhaps give her to Hidan for a ritual? Perhaps she would make a good puppet, if Sasori were to get his hands on her. There's also the chance that Orochimaru would use her for his experiments, Or that Kakuzu would sell Her to a child labour firm, and that's just involving the Organisations extra curricular activities, Image how hellish her life could be made if we were to actually try?"

Deidara sighed in defeat.

* * *

It was dinnertime, when he arrived. Haku cam barrelling back into the hideout, panting and sweating, gasping in each breath like there wasn't going to be another.

He came back alone.

Sakura manuvered him into the seat she had previously been occupying, and offered him her glass, which to took and drunk on one long gulp.

"What happened?" Zabuza demanded.

"We were attacked, near rain. It was just one, but he was strong. We were winning, until another one turned up. Deidara-san commanded me to leave." Haku looked guilty for following the order.

"What did they look like?" Sakura demanded, worry and sadness injecting itself into her tone.

"The first one was blue; the other had black hair and red eyes." He stopped to fully examine his memory of the duo.

"They wore black cloaks with red clouds…." When Haku crumbled, head coming to a rest on the table, they knew that was all he would say for a while.

* * *

Sakura cried herself to sleep on the floor of the art room.

For the first time, Zabuza allowed weakness in his pink haired student, and, once she fell into her fitful daze, he moved her into her own room.

* * *

When she emerged from her bedroom a week later, all vestiges of childish conduct had vanished from her Exterior personality. When Haku tentatively enquired if she wished to train with them, she gave a vague declination and wandered off into the surrounding forest.

This was how their regular routine days would play out from now on. Her abilities grew in leaps and bounds, so neither felt the need to question her on where she went every day, and what she did while there. Though she did gradually revert into some semblance of her cheerful personality, the underlying anger and determination was always there, along with the rapidly fluxuating emotions that seemed to develop over time, and an almost valkyre like battle persona that could be turned on and off like a stitch. Unnatural.

It was two years later that Zabuza herd a man had been enquiring about his services, and after a short negotiation, it was decided that they would leave and acquire different accommodations in Mist, where they were needed.

It was with an impassive face that Sakura watched the Home she had lived in for four years and all the physical reminders of the person lost Burn and crumble to the ground.

With a smile, Haku turned and offered to carry her, even though they both knew she was a much faster runner then he when the opportunity called for it. But as the opportunity didn't call for it, she gladly accepted, because whether she would admit it to herself or not, Haku had wormed his way into her heart as only a great friend could.

* * *

_You know, it was really sort of emotionally crushing to follow the plot at make him join the Akatsuki, but alas, it had to be done. And i just want to make it perfectly clear that i have absolutely nothing wrong with people who are attracked to their own gender. I just know that when most of my guy friends start to feel uncomfortable or get into arguements, Questions about sexuality tend to become involved, so thats what i based Deidara's thing on. And yea, i know the plot was fast and rough, but eh._


End file.
